Questions before I get a Fascinate...

So, I know a lot has been figured out, but I still have a couple of questions.

Without rooting...

I understand VZ Nav and Bing Maps come default on the Fascinate, but I can install Google Maps with Navigation. Can I make Google Maps/Navigation the default so whenever I search with Bing's widget, use the soft search key on the bottom right or use Bing Voice Search it will navigate to my destination with Google Maps?

I can't use Bing Voice Search and say "Navigate to Starbucks?" Bing Voice Search doesn't have this functionality?

No, I don't think you can make Google the default using the search key. I don't think I've used that key yet, aside from screwing around when I first unboxed the phone.

However, I installed Google Voice search, and have an Voice Search icon on my home screen. Just tap that instead of the button or the Bing widget, say "navigate to ... " and it searches via Google and goes right to Google Nav. One touch, just as easy as using the Bing search funcions, IMO. Or, I can hit the Nav icon, and it opens a screen that allows me to say or type my destination. If I hit "say" and say Starbucks, it uses Google to search for it. Or, in contacts, if I touch an address, it gives me the option of mapping it using Google, Bing, or VZ Nav. So IMO, the Bing thing is not an issue -- I just ignore it!

So, I know a lot has been figured out, but I still have a couple of questions.

Without rooting...

I understand VZ Nav and Bing Maps come default on the Fascinate, but I can install Google Maps with Navigation. Can I make Google Maps/Navigation the default so whenever I search with Bing's widget, use the soft search key on the bottom right or use Bing Voice Search it will navigate to my destination with Google Maps?

I can't use Bing Voice Search and say "Navigate to Starbucks?" Bing Voice Search doesn't have this functionality?

Click to expand...

Yeah, you can set Google Maps/Nav as default in settings, but the soft key isn't easy to reconfigure, there are non-root instructions somewhere that are supposed to work to get google search to work with the soft key, but you have to use another launcher, and its pretty long and drawn out if you ask me, i will just wait for 2.2.

The only thing that bothers me is that soft key. I'm okay with having the soft key search using Bing and even okay with it voice search using Bing (long press), but I'd like to be able to hold that soft key, have Bing Voice pop up and say "navigate to..." and have it use Google Nav. Bing doesn't have that "Navigate to..." functionality like Google Search does?

The only thing that bothers me is that soft key. I'm okay with having the soft key search using Bing and even okay with it voice search using Bing (long press), but I'd like to be able to hold that soft key, have Bing Voice pop up and say "navigate to..." and have it use Google Nav. Bing doesn't have that "Navigate to..." functionality like Google Search does?

Click to expand...

Without rooting, I don't think you can as of yet. I'm rooted and can do that now.

However, why not just put the Voice Search app on your home screen? It will search through Google and if you ask it to "Navigate to..." it will load up Google Maps.

Yeah, I mean, thats what I would definitely do... but the idea of having a nice little soft search button on the bottom of the phone that conceivably is useless sort of bothers me.

If I install Google Maps, I can set it as the default and in theory it would be the default mapping application EVERYWHERE? If I press an address in a browser window, if I use Google Voice Search, if I press a contact to navigate to... it will use Google Navigation?

So, assuming I just remove the Bing search widget, the only things that separates the Fascinate from a normal Android device would be:

It uses Bing search and voice search if you press the soft search key? The Bing search "disease" is really only contained to that soft search key?

No, I understand that there are ways to use Google Voice Search without rooting and even without using a different launcher, my questions really had to do with just the soft search key. I think I can deal with Bing running the soft search key, if thats the only thing I will notice from Bing while using the phone.

Can I use everything else through the phone as if it were any other Android phone: letting me use Google Navigation, Google Voice Search...

For the Soft Search key you gotta root to get it thru google and not bing at this point

Click to expand...

I understand that, that wasn't my question. If I remove the bing widget fromthe desktop and install and make google maps my default... Sulphur only bing involvement be the soft search button? Or will it use bing voice search if I press the voice button in the browser and whenever I press the microphone button in a text box, like texting and whatnot?

I understand that, that wasn't my question. If I remove the bing widget fromthe desktop and install and make google maps my default... Sulphur only bing involvement be the soft search button? Or will it use bing voice search if I press the voice button in the browser and whenever I press the microphone button in a text box, like texting and whatnot?

Click to expand...

Sulphur?
Anyway, if I understand correctly [which it seems Im not doing well at] then the answer to your question is yes. The Soft capacitive key will continue to voice search thru bing. Unless you root and even then you need to be using a third party launcher like Launcher Pro. It won't work with TouchWiz but it will be pure google goodness with something like Launcher Pro.

Bottom Line; you have to put up with some Bing if unrooted. [Man I hope that really answers your question if not Im sorry]

Sulphur?
Anyway, if I understand correctly [which it seems Im not doing well at] then the answer to your question is yes. The Soft capacitive key will continue to voice search thru bing. Unless you root and even then you need to be using a third party launcher like Launcher Pro. It won't work with TouchWiz but it will be pure google goodness with something like Launcher Pro.

Bottom Line; you have to put up with some Bing if unrooted. [Man I hope that really answers your question if not Im sorry]

Click to expand...

Sorry, was typing on my iPod Touch last night and for the life of me I can't figure out what word it auto-corrected to Sulphur.

My thinking is that I can put up with Bing, as long as I can make it Googlefied all over, except for the soft key. My understanding is that (without rooting or using Launcher Pro):

1) I can install Google Maps, making it my default nav/mapping
2) I can trash the Bing Widget
3) I can put Google Voice Search button right on the homescreen

But my last questions are:

1) Will the default browser use Bing Voice Search if I press the Voice Search button in a text box within the browser?
2) I understand the beauty of Android is that I can now basically use the little mic button and Voice whatever text I want... like the text messages. Will this use Bing or Google Voice?

Its me who isn't asking correctly, but can I turn the Fascinate into the "Droid X, Droid 2, HTC Incredible" in terms of Google searching and mapping, with the exception of the soft search key? My thinking is, I can sort of ignore the soft search key if EVERYTHING else on the phone can be de-Binged without rooting.